Three charged in early-morning stabbing

By MELINDA WILLIAMS

melinda@southwesttimes.com

An altercation on Randolph Avenue in Pulaski left one man stabbed and three others in jail Thursday, according to police.

Pulaski Police Chief Gary Roche said employees of LewisGale Hospital-Pulaski notified the department at 12:29 a.m. Thursday that they had a stabbing victim in the emergency room. Responding officers found that 28-year-old Michael B. Koert of Pulaski had a stab wound to the back.

Koert was transferred to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Carilion spokesman Eric Earnhardt said Friday he had no information he could release on Koert’s condition.

An interview with Koert revealed he was stabbed during a physical altercation with three other men, said Roche. He noted the incident occurred in the 900 block of Randolph Avenue, but the suspects fled the scene and police later found them in the 700 block of Monroe Avenue.

Roche said police officers and investigators were at the arrest scene until 8:53 a.m. He said a search warrant was executed at the residence and “illegal narcotics” allegedly were found.

Andrew Martin Hall III, 27, of Dublin and Christopher Keith Hardin, 28, of Pulaski each was arrested on charges of assault and battery. Matthew Ray Hetherington, 26, of Pulaski is charged with aggravated malicious wounding. All three are being held without bond at New River Valley Regional Jail.

The investigation is continuing and Roche said additional criminal charges are “probable.”